Steam-trap.



A. L. RIGGS.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 190a.

Patented 001]. 13, 1908.

' 2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

W/T/VESSES A TTOHNEYS' ALL. RIGGS. V

I STEAM TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 9, 190a.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- W/TNESSE To all whom it may concern:

' ALFRED LEANDER RIGGS, OF EBENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAK-TRAP;

Specification of Letters Patent. A Patented Oct. 18, 1908.

Application filed January 9, 1908. l Serial No. 409,930.

Be 'it known that I, Anr nno LEANDER Ric-cs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ebensburg, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Steam-Trap, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to steam traps, such as shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States, No. 844,958, granted to me February 19, 1907. The object of the present invention-is to provide a new and improved steam trap, ar-

ranged to insure a positive and easy work,

ing of the valve controlling theinflow and the discharge of the water, and to positively hold the valve locked .in one position until. the trap is accurately filled with a predetermined quantity of water, and to hold the valve locked in its other position until the intended quant-ity'of water has been discharged. v

The invention consists ofnovel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is representedin the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indi cate correspondin parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a si e elevation of the improvement, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of part of the improvement, the section being on the line '2-'-2 of Fig. 3.; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of part of the improvement, the cover thereof being removed; Fig. 4 is a similar view to that shown in Fig. 3, the

view showing the disk valve in a diflere'nt position, part of the disk valve being broken away; Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of part of the improvement, on the line 55 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of part of the improvement, on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the receptacle A of the trap is arranged a float B having itsstem B secured on the inner end of a rock shaft C that supports a lever C, the said shaft iC' being journaled in a suitable bearing D screwed or otherwise secured in the front wall of the receptacle A. The inner end of the bearing D is provided with a" conical seat D engaged by the correspondingly shaped inner end 0 of the the disk valve G.

shaft C, to insure a tight joint between the shaft C and the bearing D, the shaft C being pressed in an outward direction by a spring C to hold the end C in firm contact with the seat D. When the water rises and falls in the receptacle A, the float B rises I and falls with it, thus imparting a swinging motion to the lever C, which is thus con-' trolled in, its movement by the float B.

The lever O is connected at its lower free end by a spring E with an arm F, secured to the outer end of thestem G of a three-way valve G, for .controlling the flow of the water of condensation from a supply pipe H to the receptacle A and for controlling the outflow of the. water from the receptacle to a discharge pipe I, employed for conducting the water to a suitable place of discharge.

The three-way valve G has-its cylindrical casing G bolted or otherwise secured to the outside .of the receptacle A near the lower end thereof, and the said valve casing Gr is provided with a valve seat G having an inlet port a, adischarge port I) and a connecting port 0, of which the inlet port a connects with the supply pipe H (see Fig. 6), the outlet port I) connects with the discharge pipe I, and the connecting port 0 communicates with a channel (1 (see Fig. 2) formed on the side of the receptacle A, and o enin into the latter at or near the bottom t ereo to insure a complete discharge of the water from the receptacle A, as hereinafter more fully described. On the valve seat G is seated adisk valve G having an elongated inlet port 0, a connecting port 1 and a dis-' charge cavity 9 formed on the rear face of The inlet all times in register with the mlet port a, the connecting port f is adapted to register with the connecting port 0, and'the cavity g is adapted to connect the ports I) and 0 with each other, at the timethe port is out of register with the port 0 (see Fig. 4), the cavity g being out of register with the conort e is at necting port f at the time the ports-f and 0 are in registerwith each other. The stem G of the disk valve G is mounted to turn in the capG closing the outer end of the valve casing G and spaced" from the disk valve G to allow the water to pass from the inlet pipe H by wayof the ports a and 0 into the space formed between the ca and the disk valve G. The .water ows from this space into the receptacle A whenever the ports f and c are in register with imparts a swinfiplg motion. to the each other, as'illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The water flows out of the receptacle A into the discharge pipe I whenever the disk valve Gr is'turned into the position shown in Fig. 4, that is, when the ports 6 and c are connected with each other by the cavity 9. The hub of the disk valve G is provided with a diametrical recess G, engaged by a pin G secured on the valve stem G so that when the latter is turned a turning motion is given to the disk valve G On the stem G issecured a collar Gr seated on the inner face of the cap Gr so as to form a tight joint between the cap and that portion ofthe stem G journaled in the cap G. A spring J seated in the valve casing Gr presses against'the inner end of the valve stem G, to hold thecollar G in firm contact with the cap G, to prevent leakage.

The swinging motion of the arm F v is limited between stops Kand K, formed or secured on the valve casing G The free end of the arm F is provided with a transversely-extending locking pin F, preferably made triangular in cross section, and adapted to be alternately engaged by locking arms L and L adjustably secured on a transverse pin N attached to the float-controlled lever- C, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The arms L and L are fastened in place on the pin N by nuts N, N screwing on the pin N, the arms L and L' abutting against opposite faces of a collar N formed on the pin N, as plainly shown in Fig.. 2. The upper end of the lever C is connected by an arm 0 with a movable part P of a water meter P of any approved construction, so that the water meter registers the amount of water passing through the trap.

The operation is as follows: When the several parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, then the receptacle A is cut off from the discharge pipe I, but is connected with the supply pipe H, so that thewater of condensation flows into the 'receptacle A by way of the three-way valve As the water rises in the receptacle A,

the float B rises with it, and in doing so lever C, whereby the 100 g arm L is finally moved into engagement with one side of the pin F, to hold the arm F in its extreme lefthand position, resting against the stop K.

The locking arm L remains in contact with the pin Funtil the lever C has passed a central position,

and when the desired amount of water has accumulated in the re-- ceptacle A, the locking arm I disengages the pin F, and the spring E, which was put uner tension by the swinging of the lever C, now acts on the release arm F, so as to swin the latter quickly over against the stop K into the osition shown in dotted lines in Fi 1. en this takes place the disk va ve G is turned from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4:, whereby the ports 0 and fare disconnected from each other and consequently water ceases to flow into the receptacle A. At the same time the port 0 is connected with the port I) by the cavity 9, so that the water now flows out of the receptacle A by way of the channel d, port 0, cavity 9 and port 6, which latter conducts the water to the discharge pipe I. By having the channel d arranged as described the water is almost completely siphoned out of the receptacle A. When the float B falls with the outflowing water the arm L comes in contact with the other side of the pin F to hold the arm F locked in its right-hand side position. The arm L remains in contact with the pin F until the water has been discharged from the receptacle A and the float B has fallen to its lowermost position and moved-the lever C past its central position. When the lever C has passed the central position the arm L releases the pin F, so that the spring E now ,immediately and quickly throws the arm F over against the stop K into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. When this takes place the disk valve G is returned to its original position indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, that is, the receptacle A is out 01f from the discharge pipe I, while the pipe H is connected .With the receptacle A to refill the same.

By having the locking arms L and L arranged and coacting with the pin F, as described, it is evident that the float lever G can safely pass its central position and place the spring E under tension without danger of accidentally turning the valve G too soon. Thus by the arrangement described the amount of water to be discharged from the receptacle can be predetermined with great accuracy and the amount registered by the meter P. It will also be noticed that the water of condensation or the steam flowing into the valve casing G holds the disk valve Gr firmly? to its seat G to prevent leakage of water in the ,valve from the supply pipe H to the discharge pipe I.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire Patent:

I l. A steam trap provided with a receptacle, a valve for controlling the inflow and outflow of the water to and from the said receptacle, a float-controlled lever, and a locking device carried by the lever for temporarily locking the valveagainst movement until the desired amount of water has accumulated in the receptacle or the quantity of water has been discharged from the receptacle.

2. A steam trap, comprisinga vessel, a valve for controllin the flow of the water to and from the said vessel, an arm on the said valve for operating the same, a floatto secure by Letters controlled lever connected with the said arm and provided with looking arms adapted to V engage the said valve arm to hold the latte provided with a valve seat having a water inlocked in either of two positions.

3. A steam trap, comprising a'vessel, a valve for controllin the flow of the water to and from the sai vessel, an arm on the said valve for operating the same provided with a stop pin, a float-controlledlever, a spring connecting the said float-controlled lever with the said valve arm,and', locking arms attached to the said float-controlled lever and adapted to alternately engage the said stop pin. 7 p

4. .A steam trap, comprising a vessel, and a float-controlled valve-having a valve casing let port, a water discharge port, and a'con necting port connected with the interior of the vessel, and a disk valve oscillating on'the said valve seat and havin a water inlet port, a filling port and a cavity on its underside, the said water inlet port registering at all times with the water inlet port the valve seat, the said filling ort being adapt ed to register with the sai port leading to the vessel and the said cavity being adapted float risin to connect the said water discharge portwith" the' said port leading to the vessel. 1

5. A steam trap, comprising a vessel, a and falling with the water in the said ves'se, a lever controlled by the said float, a spring connected with the said lever, and a valve having a valve casing provided with a valve seat having an inlet port for the water of condensation, a wateroutlet port, and a connecting port leading to the vessel, a disk valve on the said valve seat having ports for register with the said inlet port and the said vessel-connecting port, and

a cavity for connecting the said vessel port with the outlet port, andan arm onthe stem of the said valve connected with the said in the receptacle and havingits stem connected with the inner .end of said shaft, a

lever supported on the outer end of said shaft, a'spring for holding the conical portion of the shaft in engagement with the seat,a spring connecting the lower end of said lever with the arm on the valve, and a locking device for the said arm ofthe valve,

the locking device being carried by said lever. v

7 A steam trap, comprising a receptacle, a valve for controlling the flow of water to and from the said receptacle, an arm on the said valve for operating the same, means for limiting the swinging motion of the arm,

, a float controlled lever connected with the said arm, a sto pin carried at the free end of said arm, an locking arms adjustably secured to the said lever, and adapted to engage the said stop pin.

In testimonywhereof l have signed my ,name to-this specification in the presence of two subscribingfwitnesses; a ALFRED LEANDER RIGGS.

Witnesses:

'lmo. G. Hos'rnn, J on P. DAVIS. 

